Lets wait until next year when Liza has grown and see if she can still give those amazing performances.

She may or she may not, but what has either case got to do with her ability today? If she can't do something in the future, does it negate what she does today? She may become even more amazing or she may struggle, should her medals be recinded for future failure or retroactively awarded only if she is still able to do them in a future year? Should today's success not count unless repricated in the future? If it is absurd to have such rules, or attitude, for an older skater, it's equally absurd to have them for a young one.

Mao had her jump technique issues from the beginning but got in trouble only when thet started calling Urs and e. It is not her growth that hit.
GPF will be awesome this year, with Caro, Alissa , Akiko and probably Mao and Adelina, nobody hypes Liza to win with those skaters alltogether. So far her press conferences are nice, she wanted to make the gpf this season, so all well.

Lets wait until next year when Liza has grown and see if she can still give those amazing performances.

^or just comment on this thread for what it is, the 2011 TEB competition. They say that by 12/2012 earth will be destroyed. GPF 2012 wont be held probably.

Sixteen is very different from fourteen. During those years a skaters body can completely change over one season. Mirai was also never hailed as the next big thing.

Oh, and you are wrong about that. Every single person's body changes at different times. Actually, your body can change when you go 12-13 or 13-14 as much as 16-17. At the same time, it is possible for a person's body type to never dramatically change.

Everyone is playing the "if" game. "Well, you wait and see if she grows a whole foot and gets 90 pounds fatter and THEN she won't be able to jump like a 'bat out of hell'." Seriously? Don't get bitter when a person deservingly wins a competition.

Plus the "well-trained monkey" thing... There are many people much older than Liza who look a lot like trained monkeys. That does not necessarily have to do with age. A skater may be 20 or older and look completely unnatural in any of their movements.

Huh. I would think being well trained would mean a lot in figure skating. Having good technique could well help Eliza survive puberty - at least she'll be in a better shape to confront it than, say Caroline Zhang. I personally thought she was wonderfully expressive and musical for someone so young. Also, she had a determined and focused look on her face that was reminiscent of Michelle Kwan. I really enjoyed her performance and I sure hope she continues to do well. It's fun to have a new lady to get excited about these days.

I also enjoyed Carolina today. I thought she put a lot more into her performance this time than Alissa.... Congrats to the top three!

I disagree. It may mean very little to you, but it means a lot to the skater.

Winning a gold medal in the Grand Prix is cool whatever your age. You seem to be saying that any little 14-year-old monkey can do it. As far as i know, no other 14-year-old monkey ever has. Not Asada, not Kim, not Lipinski, not Kwan.

I believe this is some kind of classical ballet position. Dick Button popularized (invented?) this arm position for jumps back in the 40s and 50s. As a commentator he used to criticize skaters' arm positions, saying "your arms are supposed top look like you are hugging a beach ball."

I didnt know this was approved by Mr Button, but thank you for replying. Still I think the long set up with her hands as holding a ball always disrupt the flow of the program, and have not much to do with the music she skates to and basically ruin also the choreo. I like to see the jumps out of nowhere, incorporated into the program.Mao who I find the most graceful and balletic doesnt do this btw.
I like Alissa exhibitions a lot actually, but her competitive programs dont work for me. Still with all the season and how it turned out I dont think I would want another lady in GPF instead of her.

PS. Winning nationals an international star does not make....and mirai has had her struggles through growth...so..case in point... 14 years old is 14 years old.

I wouldn't say Mao's jumps were superior to Elizaveta's. Mao had a toe axel, no 3salchow, a severe 3 flutz, and her 3flip technique was not great. Presentation wise, skating skills wise yes. But jumps no and its jumps that are most likely to go in puberty.

I'm going to say this as well I find you calling Elizaveta a trained monkey to be highly offensive. She's a human being with feelings emotions, not an animal. Girls her age DO feel pressure look how Elizaveta handled her JGP debut, and Adelina handled her Senior debut. They understand pain, and they especially have feelings. Try telling a freshman in high school, which is Tukt's age that they are trained monkeys, and see how they react. For you especially to disclose a rumor and not thinking about the consquences of said rumor is even more upsetting.

I will say this too all of these skaters most of them started out as junior prodigies.

Did people bother that Mirai went to Olympics at 16? Cause she had not grown yet either.

I have to admit that I thought Mirai was pretty much finish growing at that point. Well I thought she might grow a lil more but not as much as she has. She paints a different picture on the ice for me now. It's not the same.

so, part of me is conflicted about this because I don't really understand why there are different age rules for GP, Worlds, and Olympics...and wish there weren't. The other part of me says: Go Liz!!! wow. Go for it, do it, keep wowing me!!! loved it!